What wildlife do you see on your rides?

[makbike]

As I was riding today I was treated to a wonderful show, a doe and her fawn in the meadow. The fawn was staying very close to mom but they both seemed relaxed and a bit confused by me and the bike. They were beautiful!

[margo49]

Still on a high from my June 23 ride so I will write about it here too...
I went out to the border where the two rivers meet to see my lovely bee-eater colony. There are even more of them now and their trilling I could hear from quite far away.
It was early in the morning before the First Patrol and so the tracks of the night's visitors were really clear on the sand-strip next to the Border Fence
Suddenly it caught my eye and I braked immediately...a snake track. Perfectly long and wiggly and wavy amongst all the pig prints, jackal prints and lots and lots of different tiny birdy-feet with their associated beak-poke-holes.
I just stared and stared.(There are no snakes in New Zealand so I am impressed by them because we have heard about them in foreign literature and seen them on tv)
Oh I just felt like A Wild Cave Woman or something...an amazing few moments
Do you-all know what I mean?

[salsabike]

Margo49, I was pretty taken by your description of what you saw by the Border Fence---one of those profound connections with elemental nature. I had an experience like that climbing Mt. Fuji years ago---when you realize just how powerful nature, animals, the earth, and your part of that are. (bad grammar, but you know what I mean).

No snakes at all in NZ?

[Quillfred]

I appreciate the strong draw of nature as well. That is why I lived on Vashon Island for ten years and spent a 3 hr/day commute to work.

I would hear owls almost daily about 4 am. Got to see a Great Horned and a Barred (almost thought I had the elusive Spotted).Different hawks and eagles, sparrows building nests, hummingbirds (they would sometimes "dance" in the spray when I watered), Pileated Woodpeckers and other species. The Tree Frogs would sing after a rain. The deer would eat in my drainfield and would "mow" my strawberries and raspberries.

Margo, I looked up Bee Eaters as I am not familiar with them. What a beautiful bird! It must be quite a treat to see them. Snakes usually like it warmer than Western Washington, but I used to see some shy Garter Snakes.

[crazycanuck]

As far as i'm aware there are no snakes in nz.....! Hoop snakes for the tourists though..tee hee...

It's a good thing it's winter here in Western Australia..I think most snakes are in hiding..Although they're out there, i still look around me before i water the bushes on my mtn bike rides...

I'd love to see just one live snake but know it would be one of the lethal ones so i'm cautious on that wish...No desire to have a run in with a dugite or a tiger snake thanks....

No creatures on our ride today-too early for the live roos...I only saw a VERY large dead kangaroo on the side of the road


c

[kiwi in oz]

Nope, no snakes in NZ

Crazycanuck - what's a hoop snake?

[crazycanuck]

I'll never tell. Ever heard of drop bears? Same thing...

c

I'll tell you over coffee one day.